Mieres to leave Exeter for Worcester Warriors

Argentinean international fly half Ignacio Mieres has agreed to leave Exeter Chiefs and move to Premiership rivals Worcester Warriors at the end of the season.

Mieres, who has won six caps for his country, joined the Chiefs from Deportiva Francesa in October 2010 and has since gone on to make 51 appearances for the Devon club amassing 395 points in the process.

The 25-year-old has also enjoyed spells in the Top 14 at Stade Francais and Perpignan, where he was signed as back-up to All Blacks superstar Dan Carter.

Mieres, who can also operate at centre or full back, made his Argentina Test debut in December 2007 against Chile at San Juan and last featured for the Pumas in June last year when he faced France at Cordoba.

The flyhalf has however fallen behind Irishman Gareth Steenson in the Chiefs pecking order and has struggled for game time.

Worcester Head Coach Richard Hill was delighted to agree terms for Mieres who joins countrymen Leonardo Senatore and Agustin Creevy plus experienced back Paul Warwick in agreeing moves to Warriors next season.

"Ignacio is a superb goal kicker with a very high percentage of success who is very ambitious and keen to join us," said Hill.

"Last season he started the vast majority of games for Exeter as they were very successful and secured a top six finish and with it Heineken Cup rugby.

"He is a tall and athletic outside half who attacks the line with real pace and strength. He will kick goals from everywhere and is a very good all-round player.

"When we have played Exeter we have never looked at the ten channel as a defensive weakness because he is so strong defensively too.

"Ignacio is fluent in English, which is vital for the position he plays, and to get a player of his age and undoubted quality is a very exciting prospect for us."

Although he is contracted to the Chiefs for another year, Exeter Chiefs head coach Rob Baxter Baxter says Mieres is keen to develop his international career further and believes for that to happen he needs to be playing regularly within the English top flight.

"Nacho is wanting to play more rugby, get more starts, and right now he is feeling that will happen more often at another club," explained Baxter.

"What we have at the moment is a guy who is very passionate about playing - and he is desperate to play more for Argentina. I think because of those factors, he feels he now wants to go somewhere where he is going to start regularly and put himself in the shop window to get the best opportunity to play international rugby.

"It is a shame, of course, because we never like signing anyone here and them not seeing out their contracts. We tend to feel when you have a player for two or three years, that he will be an Exeter player for two or three years. "

With Mieres set to depart and fellow fly-half Myles Dorrian also out of contract at the end of the season, Baxter says he will assess his play-making options before making his next move.

He added: "We may go into the market, but I wouldn't say we are in a huge rush. We've got Gareth Steenson and Henry Slade both under contract for next season, but we'll take our time and assess things and decide our next move as and when is necessary."